


Monster Hotel

by nescamonster



Series: Nescamonster does stuff [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Abusive Ex, Alternate Universe - Supernatural, Cursed!Jeremy, Daywalker!Jon, Demon!Trevor, Fallen!Ryan, M/M, Other, Past Abuse, Past Mind Control, Poltergeist!Kerry, Slow Burn, poltergeist!Miles, vampire!geoff, vampire!michael
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2018-11-13 16:14:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11188743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nescamonster/pseuds/nescamonster
Summary: IN a world where the supernatural is a real underbelly to society, Jeremy is a simple human looking to get away from the world and maybe away from his curse, but perhaps hotel for Monsters is a bit more than he can actually handle.---I HATE DOING THIS BUT, Its happened and I can't afford to live. I dunno when I'll be back. So this is in permanent hold till my situation changes...





	1. Moving in

There was only one place a reject like Jeremy Dooley could go. Achievement heights, the apartment building that was rumoured to take anyone, no questions asked.  A repurposed old hotel made into apartments. Its owner was a man rarely seen. And Now Jeremy knew why.

The office stank of bourbon whisky and a metallic tang Jeremy couldn’t place. Geoff Ramsey sat behind an ornate desk, all dark wood and corner spikes. All the furniture within had the feel of ageless quality. Heaped down with mess and paperwork and the single piece of modern technology, a computer screen lit up, the only light source, bathing the Apartment owners in a sickly light that gave his skin a pale tone made worse by the darkness of his facial hair and the dark of his red rimmed eyes.

If Jeremy looked that sick, he wouldn’t go out either.

“So, ah, beanie boy-“

“Jeremy.”

“I like beanie boy better.” Geoff spoke with a gravelly voice that seemed always on the edge of coughing. Jeremy tugged his beanie down a little self-conscious but he let it go as Geoff, with the hand not clutching his glass, typed on the keyboard bringing up the request Jeremy had sent in.

“alright, this all checks out.” Geoff said lazily, sipping from his drink and making Jeremy wonder if the man was drunk at Ten in the morning, “everything except one thing. The fuck you wanna live here for?”

“excuse me?” Jeremy asked taken aback and Geoff waved his whiskey at him, flicking him in the hot alcohol.

“Why the fuck you wanna live here? You’re not in debt, you’re not super broke, or at least not enough to justifies this dump. You’re a human, I can smell that,” Geoff tapped his nose and Jeremy frowned at him, “Which means you got the privilege to live anywhere else in this city.”

Jeremy frowned and shook his head, “Look, part of this deal is I don’t gotta tell you shit, right? So, if my stuff checks out can I have my key already?” he said firmly. He didn’t want to get into it right now, especially with what he now all but was sure was a vampire, notorious for their devious natures.

“Rents due on the eighth, in cash.” Geoff said and pushed his chair back to turn and rummage in a draw behind him, “Electricity’s a bit iffy, invest in lamps, but the hot water works all the time, so there’s that. Any problems bitch to the floor manager, not me. I give zero fucks what you do in your place, just don’t make a mess in the halls and control the smell. I don’t like smell kid alright?”

He tossed a thick old key at Jeremy who plucked it out of the air and looked expectantly at Geoff. The man slumped back in his chair and shrugged, “I’m sorry princess, you expecting an escort? Fourth floor, room six. Have a nice fucking day.”

Jeremy curled his hand around the key and gathered his bravery, “You’re not invited into my home.”

“to fucking bad kid, I own this Hotel for a reason, home boy.” He mocked turning off the computer screen so he was in darkness once more, “Don’t worry about it, if you wake with a sore neck, then you’re off the hook for that week’s rent.”

It was the best deal Jeremy was going to get so he flipped the vampire off and went out into the lobby. Jack the caretaker was behind the desk, the residents mail cubbies behind him and a big book, ancient by the looks of it in front of him. He leant on the desk over the book, reading at a stand. Jeremy walked towards him and raised his key when the man looked up.

“Hey, you got it.” Jack said with a smile and Jeremy nodded, smiling back. From the little time he’d spent with Jack, the man was much more likable then the owner. Jeremy cocked his thumb back at the office.

“He serious about the rent loophole?” He had to ask and jack snorted, “which one?” he asked sarcastically then he reached behind the desk and pulled out the bag he’d been babysitting for Jeremy, all his worldly positions inside it. Jeremy took it gratefully and put it over his shoulder.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He said and jack winked before he looked back down at his book. Curious as Jeremy past he glanced at the pages. They were blank even as Jack turned them. Jeremy shook his head at the weirdness and went upstairs, the elevator hanging a dusty out of order sign.

As he was heading up, two men were coming down. Jeremy shifted to give them space on the stairs to pass one behind the other, but they didn’t stop their conversation nor did they acknowledge him in any way. They just walked right _through_ him with the sensation of dry Icey glass being touched all over his skin. Jeremy shuddered and watched the ghosts as they dissipated.

“Kerry, I’m telling you, this speakeasy is the best one yet!”

“I dunno miles, aren’t we a little to modern…” whatever he was saying faded as the imprints of these men long dead did. Jeremy turned back to the stairs and kept walking. Ghosts were rare but they happened, especially these imprinted ones. It was more trying to understand their schedule. Jeremy did not want to be passed through every day on the stairs or he’d risk possession.

“let me guess,” Jeremy looked up as he reached his floor and a Tall man with blonde upswept hair and pure green eyes grinned at him, speaking with a British accent, “You just met the stair entertainment?”

Jeremy looked back where the ghosts had past and then back up with a nod and a shrug, “Ah yeah. So, they are imprints? Not free moving?”

“I didn’t say that, did I? I just said their entertaining.” The brit winked at him and pushed away from the railing he’d be leaning on to extend a hand, “Gavin Free.”

Jeremy knew better to shake hands with someone with eyes like those so he gave a small wave, “Jeremy Dooley. Room six on this floor.”

“Welcome to the floor friend.” Gavin grinned, “I’m Room four so we are neighbours.”

Gavin walked with him into the hall, and pointed at each number as they past, “Meg and Lindsay live there. Ignore the smoke. Jon lives there, you won’t see much of him, bit of a day walker if you catch my drift.” Gavin winked and Jeremy chuckled, charmed despite himself, “My Boi Michael lives there, got a tiny bit of a temper but he’s a great lad. Technically Ray lives in this one, but I doubt you’ll see him. Again, ignore the smell of smoke and don’t bother knocking on his door to tell him to turn his games down, he will ignore you.”

Jeremy raised a brow and stopped, “But that’s four, thought you said you live in four?”

“I do.” Gavin said brightly and Jeremy decided to let it drop, now he was curious of the last one in this hall. He pointed at number Five across from his own, the gold ornate number that was on each door absent for this one.

“And here?”

“Ryan. He keeps all us cheeky monkeys in check.” Gavin says simply then looks to number six, “And this is you! So, I’ll leave you to settle in mate. Come by soon and say Hi huh?”

“Hey, wait, what about the rest?” Jeremy gestured down the hall and Gavin laughed, “Mostly empty. Only one or two loners. Cept twelve, which I’d stay back from.”

“What’s in twelve?” Jeremy asked curiously and Gavin winked again saying nothing, ducking into his own place. Jeremy went into his apartment, the old lock clicking with a protest and was glad Geoff was right about the fact it was fully furnished. The repurposed hotel room was still a combination of Bed and living room right near the door but it had been expanded to include a squished Kitchen and dining room, the small table would fit four at a squeeze.

There was a tv so old it had a box and the bed looked like it had a layer of dust. Yep defiantly a layer of dust, as he tossed his bag onto it and it spat motes into the air. Probably full of bugs. Jeremy pulled his beanie off in the comfort of his own lace and through the moggy mirror by the bedside he could see his hair was a dreary grey. Unsurprising really considering how resigned he felt right now.

He walked over to the sink in the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water and he didn’t need to see his hair to know it had just flared red.

“Seriously? Are you serious right now?” The water wouldn’t run and he growled in frustration before he snatched up his beanie and jammed it back over his curls before marching to his front door, determined to talk to the floor manager.

 

Ryan lay on his stomach, hugging his pillow in the dark, his window completely blacked out. It was a down day for him. A day when he felt the ache, let the lack wash over him, the misery pull at his body. Soon he’d need to go out. Need to find a bright and wonderful soul. Soon. But not yet.

He groaned softly when he heard the clash of the hollow thuds against his door meet the ringing in his ears. As he brought himself back to his body, he got up to his elbows and threw an angry “What?!” at the door. If Gavin had shed into the bathroom sink again he swore to the father…

“Ah, Hey! I’m new guy, Room six? Waters not working.” A fresh voice said and Ryan blinked. A new guy? He sniffed deeply and a sudden smile broke over his features. A human?

He tripped over himself and hit the ground hard, then rushed to the front door and swung it open.

When you are fallen from grace like Ryan was, the first thing you always noticed was people’s souls. Peoples souls were normally one or two colours mixed in different shades. The older the person, the deeper the colour and the more colours they might earn. Ryan could stare at this soul forever

A multitude of colour, all different shades, dancing together inside one small young human body. Ryan’s breath caught to see it, then he was reaching out to touch it, centred around those soulful brown eyes.

“whoa dude, personal space.” The voice snapped him from it, his hand shrinking back away from the man, realising he had shifted out into the hall, his wings trailing behind him. Ryan coloured and moved right back so he could get the door between him and the human, hiding in the dark of his room only his embarrassed face showing as the human questioned, “You ok guy?”

“Sorry, I have a problem with that at times.” Ryan made the excuse lamely, eyes flicking up again, now the shape of his soul was settling into his body again, becoming a colourful glow beneath the skin. The human gave him a searching look but he shrugged.

“No problem man, like I said, I’m new here,” The human said obviously not wanting to talk about almost getting touched by a Fallen, swinging his key around his finger and nodding at the door across from Ryan, “my waters not on.”

Ryan sighed heavily knowing he’d have to fix that. Which meant he’d have to cross into the human’s space. Which meant he’d expose his wings again, the backs of them. Which he hated to do.

“You ah, need water huh?” He said lamely and the human nodded, a small smile at the joke.

“Only slightly. Being human and all. Jeremy by the way.”

“What?”

“my name? its Jeremy. You’re Ryan, right?”

Ryan rolled his eyes, “Yeah that’s what they call me anyway.” He sighed and nodded. This was his job after all. But as delightful as this man’s soul was he didn’t like the heavy haze of a curse over it which meant he didn’t want him seeing his wingbacks.

“One minute.” He said and shut the door in the human’s face.

 

Jeremy sighed at the weirdo creature. Great, what nonsense apartment was he in? was he the only human here? He looked down the hall and number twelve door was open, two sets of reflective eyes looking at him that quickly shut when they noticed him noticing them.

Yep. Only human. Great.

He looked back to number six when the door opened and Ryan came out. The glance he’d have of wings was all he was going to get because there were no wings now. But Ryan’s eyes glowed eerily now, much brighter than before and Jeremy felt drawn in but he fought the call of a fallen, knowing it’s an instinct and not something Ryan was purposefully doing.

“Shall we?” Asked Ryan gesturing at his door so Jeremy let him in and Ryan went straight to the tap. Ryan sighed as he put his hands on it and closed his eyes. Jeremy leant against the kitchen wall and raised a brow.

“That’s an odd way to plumb a pipe.” Jeremy pointed out

“I don’t like getting dirty alright?” Ryan said without turning to him.

“So your gonna rub it better?” Jeremy asked with a small chuckle.

“Look do you want water or not?” Ryan asked looking over his shoulder, his overbright eyes opening and Jeremy raised hands in surrender. Ryan rolled his eyes then closed them again as his hands started to glow the same shade of blue as his eyes.

After a gurgling groan, suddenly the tap spouted water out and drenched Ryan who yelled out in surprise as Jeremy doubled over in laughter, watching the poor floor manager fumble for the tap and turned it off again then held his arms out to inspect his own dripping self.

“OH MY GOD! You made my day!”

“Hey! Don’t use that name in vain…” Ryan grumbled, flicking more water onto the floor then yelping in surprise when a towel hit his face and Jeremy was still chuckling as he folded his arms and leant back, “Thanks.” Ryan said grumpy.

“Your welcome. And really, I hate moving and meeting new people but I gotta say, that was amazing.” Jeremy told him happily and Ryan rolled his eyes as he patted himself dry.

“So glad to make an impression.”


	2. Moving up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy finds a job that literally just came to him at home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> because why not start yet another AU multichapter fic i'll probably never finish?

It took a single week for Jeremy to wonder if perhaps he was out of his league. Sure he was cursed, but hey, so long as no one touched him and his beanie stayed on, then he’d be in the clear right? These were the thoughts that plagued him at 3 am every morning when the previous occupant of his hotel room turned apartment came back to the moment where they died.

“What? No! I’m sorry please! I didn’t mean it! I love- ARGH!” the choking death cry was the worst and Jeremy had to roll so the ghost could collapse onto the bed like it did the first time it had died. Whatever he had loved wasn’t clear as his blank face stared up at Jeremy, the ghostly blood oozing out until it flickered out of existence.

Moonrise every night, the mystery occupants down the hall started howling, a cry taken up by others on different floors. Jeremy knew he was going to love new moon time. Next door played shooters at full volume at random moments of the evening and the girls who share a room had random explosions and cats yowling.

But nothing compared to the moment he rolled in the night then paused, feeling eyes on him. He glanced up and let out a strangled shriek of his own, his hair flaring white at the top as he skidded up the bed. The hotel manager simply laughed and waved a hand where he floated over the bed as he wheezed.

“Oh god! Your face! Amazing!”

“Geoff?! The FUCK you get in here?” Jeremy demanded as he tried to will his heart to stop trying to escape through his chest. His hair slowly changing from white to pink then to red as fear became embarrassment became anger.

“Wow that’s a pretty hairdo you got there Mr J.” Geoff chuckled smugly as he calmed from his laughing fit and Jeremy angrily threw open his bedside draw to grab a beanie and slam it down around his ears as he pointed to the door.

“Get out! I give you no permission to be here!” He tried banishing the vampire who just rolled his eyes and floated from his horizontal perch to his feet at the end of the bed, folding his arms that now Jeremy could see by lamp light were covered in tattoos.

“I told you kid, it’s my hotel for a reason.” He pointed out and Jeremy fisted the sheets, fighting the urge to hit a creature at least twice as strong as himself. At that’s only if Geoff was a fresh vampire.

“What do you want?” he asked through clenched teeth and Geoff waved a hand again.

“Oh, unclench your ass, I’m not here for your blood.” He stated, “I’m here cause your human and you’ve made it very clear your aware of the supernatural world and everyone in it. Judging from the light show you just gave me, I’m guessing that’s the reason. So, You fully human? And if you are, are you here on a hunt? Cause I gotta tell you, I am not a fan of my guests killing one another. Partly why you’re not dead yet.”

Jeremy had to hand it to him. He made some fair points. Points that really didn’t have to be made at five in the morning while Jeremy was in his underwear. So Jeremy set his face to scowl but answered as truthfully as he dared.

“I’m not a hunter. I’m just a dude who can’t use hair dye alright? You know what it’s like for anyone not ‘normal’. I can’t get a job, no one will rent to me. People walk away from in the street like curses are contagious.”

“So the curse is you have rainbow hair?”

“The curse is none of your business.” Jeremy snapped back and Geoff grinned at him, his teeth suddenly a lot sharper to Jeremys vision and his eyes glinted.

“How about I make you my business?” Geoff offered and Jeremy shifted further back into the headboard, uncomfortable with the tone of the offer.

“I’m telling you now, if you try and bite me, I’m gonna fucking fight you.” He warned and Geoff laughed.

“No kid, god, what’s your hang up? Yeah, I’m a vampire, build a bridge and fucking get over it. I’m not in the market for another neophyte ok? What I am in the market for is a lovely fresh-faced human. Someone who can walk out in the light of day, smile, pass all the stupid little checks and maybe do a few jobs for me.” Geoff raised an eyebrow, “Interested?”

“It had to come at five in the morning huh?” Jeremy said still irritated but someone help him because he was interested. It _was_ hard finding a job with his curse. Anywhere with headwear normally came with the risk of skin to skin touch. This might be an easy solution.

“Well I’d come at three but that’s when miles dies.” Geoff said and Jeremy swore.

“You motherfucker, you knew this place was haunted?!”

“Come on kid, I know everything about this place. Who the hell do you think killed him?” Jeremy didn’t think that was a joke with the matter of fact way Geoff said it, “now do you want the job or not?”

“Well if you bust into my room, are a vampire, admitted the ghost pissing me off every night is a victim of yours then yeah, I’m probably gonna say yes.” Jeremy said pointed out forcefully and Geoff chuckled again. He didn’t seem as sickly this meeting around and he seemed more in his early thirties then the late forties.

“Excellent. Just report to Jack in the morning and they’ll set you up with everything you need.”

“What do I need?”

Geoff didn’t answer he just walked to the door that opened for him and waved over his shoulder. He left the door open. Jeremy put his face in his hands.

 

At a decent hour Jeremy finished washing out his breakfast bowl in his sink and went downstairs, in a nice shirt, jeans and a beanie to go with it. Jack was in the lobby talking to a man who could only be described as beautiful. Long dark hair that fell in waves, sharp blue eyes and a lithe body that he dressed well in a casual formal combo.

Jeremy smiled at them both, approaching jack.

“Heyo.” He called to Jack who gave him a strange look and shared a glance with the guy who artfully arranged himself into a lean against Jacks front desk.

“Hello? Good morning Jeremy. Can I help you this morning?” Jack asked and Jeremys confidence dropped to his feet.

“Did- did Geoff not…” he started trailing off as the beautiful man threw his head back and laughed and Jack started chuckling.

“Master Ramsey? Tell anyone, anything?!” the beautiful guy had a voice to match his face, like honeyed sugar that drew in anyone who listened, including Jeremy who despite himself took two steps closer. Jack shook his head with a smile and gave the guy an abolishing glance.

“Jon, reign it in. No go in the hotel remember?” jack warned and Jon lifted his hands and stepped back from the desk and Jeremy, giving them space as jack turned his attention to Jeremy, “No Geoff hasn’t. He’s not the sharing type. So what did he ask of you and what did he say you get in return?”

“He said he needed a human to past tests or some garbage, I dunno it was five in the morning.” Jeremy grumbled going as red as his hair pink under his beanie. Jon raised a brow and looked to Jack.

“Five? That’s kinda late for the Master, isn’t it?”

“Miles dies at three.” Jack said knowingly and Jon made a noise of understanding as Jeremy grew irritated under his embarrassment. He was starting to get the feeling this was all a big joke to everyone and nothing cut through embarrassment like anger.

“Look Jeremy, Geoff is kinda-“

“senile-“

“Old.” Jack cut across Jon giving the younger man a withering look to which he looked unrepentant, “older then you for certain, older then this idiot as well. And when a vampire gets old they get a bit…”

“like a fucking asshole?” Jeremy supplied and earnt a severe look for his own as Jon tipped him a wink and jack finished his thought, “Grouchily. But he’s earnt that right. So, I can only assume what he wants is for you, to go with Jon here over to the realtors. Show them a friendly human face, tell them you’re the son of the owner there to renew the lease.”

“I’ll handle everything else.” Jon said happily and Jeremy raised a brow.

“Won’t they need like ID and shit? If I’m re-leasing this place?” He asked and jack shook his head.

“this place? No, no, no. Geoff’s bar. His actual, I guess you’d could call him son, runs it. Michael. The Off topic bar just off of main street.” Jack explained and Jeremy groaned.

“Then why doesn’t this Michael do it?”

“Because Michael doesn’t tan as well as I do.” Jon grinned Jeremy now noting he had the same sharp teeth as Geoff and got the idea that Jon was probably closely related to the Hotel owner. He looked back to jack.

“But that doesn’t explain how-“

“Jon will take care of it. We just need a human.” Jack says and smiled at him, “it will be a relief to get this done today and good timing of you to get here before Jon left.”

Jeremy really didn’t have much to object against so it was agreed and before he could think too hard about it, they were walking out into the street. Luckily it was a cool day so Jeremys beanie and jacket didn’t look out of place. Plus the sun was hidden away behind the clouds which prompted him to glance at Jon.

“How am I doing it?” Jon said showing a remarkable ability to guess what was on Jeremys mind. Unless it wasn’t a guess…

“No I’m not reading your mind. I’m a bit young for that. I’m just used to the questions.” Jon explained which was not very reassuring to Jeremys mind but Jon was still talking, “I’m a Day walker obviously. Now I’m not going to give away trade secrets to a new human but, it means basically that I don’t tan, but I’m not going to burst into flames or anything dramatic like that.”

“Well that’s a relief.” Jeremy said truthfully, then he risked another question opening his mouth only for Jon to once again _not_ read his mind accurately.

“no I’m not going to kill anyone. I’m just really, really, _really_ likable.” Jon assured him, “it’s just paperwork can be forged, who cares, just sign Michaels name and be done with it but… there’s a few rules that’s got to be followed. Rules you can break as a human.”

“Like?”

“Forgery is a type of lying and well, I’m strongly advised not to outright lie. So that’s where you come in.” Jon explains reluctantly and Jeremy filed that information away for later. Day walkers and possible Vampires, couldn’t lie. That might be useful along the line.

 

Ryan let himself into Jeremys room with the master key. He had tucked away his wings before leaving his apartment just in case he bumped into anyone in the hall. Really, he didn’t even want to be this far from his safe haven but Geoff had walked in, in the wee hours and told him to take care of miles.

His eyes glowed blue and the room grew sharper, Miles being shaped into existence as Ryan looked through the different planes to find him. Once he knew he was seen miles threw his hands up in protest.

“It’s only been a week!”

“Geoff said enough Miles.”

“Oh like I’ve ever listened to Geoff. That’s what got me into this see through diet remember?” Miles scoffed and Ryan rolled his eyes.

“Come on, enoughs enough. You listen to me.” Ryan said firmly and the ghost of the young man kicked a foot sulkily.

“Damn. We don’t get new people often Ryan, especially humans.” He complained, “It’s _fun_ and you should hear my bit, here I’ll do it for you now!” The ghost moved to his starting position, willing himself through to the mortal plane as he started backing up, fear on his face.

Ryan cut him off there, reaching out and grabbing upper arm that made miles flinch and look down at it then back to Ryan with a rueful face.

“Fine! Alright I get it. No messing about in here, aye aye captain.” miles said quickly seeing Ryan’s eyes glow and his touch start to burn. Ghosts were simply imprints but Miles was a poltergeist, an actual human soul bound to the mortal realm. And now Ryan could touch him, he was losing the impression of a human body and becoming a swirl of white light edged in Orange and blue.

“Ryan!” Miles yelped a little panicked as he felt the touch burn, the only unpleasant sensation a poltergeist could feel and little flicks of himself were starting to absorb into the fallen. Until the bedside lamp hit Ryan in the head, not moving the Fallen an inch but getting his attention.

“Dude. Not cool.” Ray said with his arms folded and Ryan looked from him to Miles and yanked his hand back.

“Sorry miles! Sorry…” Ryan said backing up quickly and the poltergeist scooted back, back in his human form. On his upper arm a ghostly imprint of a red hand that miles quickly covered.

“Hey, no harm no foul right? Message received, oh look at the time, I got a tour group to unsettle, See ya!” miles said rapidly as he backed up and at the last he walked backwards through the wall and out of sight. Ryan sighed angry with himself as he bent and picked up the lamp, seeing partial imprint of his face on the base.

“You need to go out.” Ray told him firmly as Ryan replaced the lamp, turning the imprint towards the wall hoping the human won’t notice.

“No. I got more time.”

“ah-huh. Fine man I mean yolo right? For you anyway.” Ray said irritated and turned and walked straight back through the wall to his own room leaving the fallen alone in the room. Ryan sighed heavily and flopped down onto the bed, breathing the fresh scent of human marred by the tang of curse.

Fuck. He needed to go out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> curse you brain, never giving me what i want to be working on but giving me something else that damn it im so interested in doing now


	3. Orange you glad?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two Creatures, One human...This is getting alot for Jeremy to handle

Before he had been cursed, Jeremy, like the majority of the human population, had had no idea that the supernatural world existed. After his curse, he wondered how anyone could have missed it. Especially when Bar’s like Off Topic had their doors open every night from sundown to sunup.

Jeremy had met Michael jones at last when he handed over the Deed to the young-looking man after Jon had hypnotised the lawyers and realtors into believing Jeremy. Jon said it wasn’t lying on his part, just enabling Jeremys ability to lie. Michael had taken them and then had grabbed Jeremy by the shirt collar, the day walker that had come up to Michaels apartment with him didn’t seemed phased by the behaviour. Jeremy had leant back as much as he could to avoid his knuckles brushing his chest.

“Thanks _human.”_ Michael had spat like he wasn’t thankful at all then he had let go of the collar to take the papers in both hands, “I suppose you want a job?”

And now here he was, behind the bar of a place that defiantly proved the supernatural walked among the human population. Pointed ears and teeth were the fashion, eerie skin and Jeremy turned up his nose as a _troll_ scuffled past, making the bottles shake as it settled into a booth that was a size too small, giving the impression of an adult sitting at a child’s desk.

He served the usual beverages along with special orders. If he got one of them, he’d turn to Gavin, who also worked behind the bar though work was a lose term, for the brit to fetch whatever had been asked for. Gavin spent the rest of his time sitting on the bench behind Jeremy, rubbing moisturiser into his cheeks and simpering to himself in a little hand mirror.

“A Tonic please, Smoking.” A male looking creature asked in an odd, double toned voice, their eyes slitted like a cat. Jeremy sighed and turned to Gavin who was petting his nose and checking it in his mirror. Jeremy snapped his fingers at Gavin.

“Another special. Smoking Tonic.” Jeremy said and Gavin groaned and shut his mirror with a clap then he glared at the creature ordering.

“Really? That stuff spits you know. Wouldn’t you be happier with a glowing brew?”

“Ton-ic. Smoking.” The creature said careful enunciating and Gavin gave another irritated groan and turned to his specialised area to make what Jeremy could only guess was something acidic.

“Excuse me? Can I have a diet coke?” Jeremy moved back to the bar with the normal order to find it was Ryan waving him down for it. Ryan looked, Good. His eyes were afire, and his skin seemed to subtly glow. His hair was lighter and he seemed much more approachable then the last time Jeremy had seen him, stalking out of his apartment soaked.

“Depends can I have my towel back?” Jeremy asked as he popped the can and pushed it towards him, careful not to make skin contact. Ryan grabbed it and took a sip, placing it down with a chuckle.

“That Towel is property of the hotel. So just ask for another.”

“I’m guessing I should ask my floor manager then?”

“Touché little human. Touché.”

Ryan grinned at him with his white teeth and tipped his can at him in salute before he slid out into the crowd. Jeremy watched him go, seeing how the other patrons moved aside for him, then closed around him once more whispering and shooting filthy looks at Ryan’s back. Jeremy wondered but his mind was tugged a different way when Gavin shrieked and hopped around holding a wrist and making the most ridiculous noises.

“what did you do?” Jeremy demanded, trying to get the brit to stop hoping about without touching him which was a task. Gavin thrust the back of his hand in his face where there was a single red dot, a tiny little slash of heat burn.

“I’m mutilated! Deformed! I told that tosser that his Tonic spits!” cried Gavin in distress.

“Hey! Where is my tonic?” the creature in question trilled. Jeremy ignored it to capture Gavin’s hand in a dishcloth so he could look better at the dot. He raised a brow at Gavin who was hopping foot to foot and whining.

“Is it serious? Will the hand have to come off? OH MY GOD! Does my hand have to come off?!” Gavin shrieked at the idea and Jeremy sighed rubbing over the dot with the cloth to see it was already fading.

“It’s nothing Gav you’re going to be fine.” He said shaking his head at Gavin’s vain panic then yelping when the creature grabbed his jacket sleeve and yanked him towards the bar.

“Hey! Where Is My Tonic?!” the Creature rumbled in his face and before Jeremy could get angry, the creature was choking and hanging from an angry arm. Jon’s face was fierce, his blue eyes a deep red and his teeth bared. There was no doubt he was a vampire as he easily held the demanding creature up by the throat.

“You don’t touch the staff here. I don’t care _what_ backwards woods you’re from. Do Not Touch the Staff.” He said deadly, his aura such that even Jeremy and Gavin shrunk away along with the patrons around them. The creature nodded trying to choke out agreements and Jon let it drop. The creature’s legs gave and it scrambled back on fours before it got up and squeezed through the crowd towards the door.

“There is a No Touch policy in effect here at Off topic! You all know it! And we all obey it!” Jon called in a semi roar then he smiled, and suddenly his teeth weren’t as pronounced and his eyes back to blue, a calming aura now coming from him, “My friends, please, don’t let one asshole spoil the night! Drink and be merry!”

A cheer at his words and the crowd started to turn back to conversations and Jon easily leapt of the counter looking first to Jeremy, “Are you alright?”

“Yeah. Fine.” Jeremy mumbled, trying to get a hold of himself against the Day walkers forced aura and it was made easier when Jon’s intense eyes turned to Gavin and took his hand, gently inspecting it and murmuring to him. Jeremy swallowed hard and turned back to serving praying by the time he gets home and takes his beanie off, his hair will no longer be the swirl of purple and orange it was currently, a mix of confusion and attraction to the vampire that was fierce and soft all together.

 

Ryan had noticed, how could he not, but Jon had beaten him to the defence. So as the day walker turned to check on Jeremy, Ryan instead followed the Sprawn out into the night. The spriggen cursed human, a rarity, was known as a Sprawn but not many would be able to identify him. But Ryan could. It was written on its soul plain for any to see.

Once outside, Ryan’s shoulders and backs ached as he pulled his wings from the other planes he had been hiding them in, letting them unfold in this base reality. His moulting was under control but the backs still looked a little withered, and when Ryan beat them, rising into the night, a few feathers floated down to rest on the pavement.

It was too easy to track from above, his eyes a glowing, spotting the unique soul of the Sprawn from his flight and he circled once before he came down like an attacking Hawke, feet hitting shoulders and landing atop them, the Sprawn shrieking with fear when they twisted on the ground and looked up.

Ryan’s skin was glowing white, his eyes blue and his wings marked a Fallens Black with Grey underwings that blocked out the lights around them. His hands burned with holy blue fire and he said nothing as he reached for its face, his palm going over nose and mouth, heedless of the tiny sharp teeth.

This creature deserved to die. It had an older soul, one that had been around for at least a hundred years. It should have known better then to threaten anyone in that bar. Let alone the human that intrigued this fallen Angel. And so, Ryan fed

His will tore the soul free of the body, pulling it out from the Sprawns gaping mouth, absorbing it as it rose from his victim, bringing it in with Holy fire wreathed hands, a taste of creation he needed to survive. Muddy earth brown and mottled green, this soul was about the misery of others. Not something Ryan normally took in but the catch had been easy and none would miss it.

“well you beat me too it.”

Ryan spun around his wings making a noise of wind rushing to look at the immaculate Jon risinger walking in steady even steps to stop over the body, still alive but blank, soulless. Soon if no one stopped it, that body would get up and begin a reign of terror. For now it was learning what to do without its soul.

“You beat _me_ to it.” Ryan said back carefully and Jon grinned, all his sharp teeth showing, his eyes glinting in the dim light of the alley. Ryan hated how put together the Day walker was. Always perfect, never flustered. Sauvé. And here he was, wings moulting, hair thinning and lines on his face that wouldn’t exist had he still had access to the source.

Jon was forever twenty-eight. Ryan was… _ageing_ …

“well, a little snappy human like that?” Jon clicked his fingers and hummed in appreciation, “You gotta be quick to catch that worm bud.” Ryan bared his teeth which wasn’t as impressive as Jon display of perfectly pointed teeth that pressed against his bottom lip as he smiled knowingly.

Jon stepped on the neck of the soulless body, ignoring the automatic hands around his ankle, the body had no fear to aid their struggle, just the need to get the pressure off. “Tsk, tsk. You didn’t even fully kill the threat.” And with a twist of his heel Jon crushed and ended that life, Ryan unable to look, turning his head away.

“There was no need-“

“There was every need Ryebread. Really, it’s a mercy. Your welcome.” Jon grinned and waved a hand as he wiped his shoe on the bodies shirt, “Don’t you have a little hole to live in now your all Fed up?” Ryan spread his wings and called upon the fresh energy he had taken. His wings grew whole and beautiful, feathers realigning. His hair thickened and his worry lines smoothed away. He gazed at Jon with burning eyes of blue that had the Day walker recoil from him, skittering back a few steps and biting back a hiss.

“Careful, Unholy being. Even Fallen, I can Smite you. You may be Old, But I? I am Ancient. Think Not to intimidate one such as I” His voice rung with his power and Jon backed further away as Ryan beat his wings, once, twice then was lifting up into the night sky, to enjoy the wind on his face before he wheeled for home.

Only once he was gone did Jon run a hand over his hair, checking to make sure the holy wind hadn’t mussed it and scoffed. “Careful, unholy being, I’m so big and bad I’ll smite you.” He mocked in a nasally voice and flipped off the empty sky before he turned and slunk back into the shadows.

 

It was closer to dawn when Jeremy made it home. With a weary hunch to his shoulders he slid the key in his lock and turned it, ready to collapse into bed and forget the whole confusing night. Then he steps on something soft and yelps, thinking it a mouse. But its only a soft clean and folded towel.

He bent down curious and picked up the towel to take inside. Once inside his door, he pulled the beanie from his head and threw it to the bed, the top a shocking yellow of curiosity. He unfolded the towel and inside was a note.

_Curtsey of floor manager. Try not to soak your next guest?_

Jeremy smiled and felt his hair change as it always did. He took the towel back into the bathroom and pocketed the note only to pause and look closer in the mirror. Orange? And the orange of a deep sunset no less. Jeremy pointed to his hair in the reflection.

“Oh no you son of a bitch we are _not_ attracted to two different guys. You stop that right now.” He demanded of his curse. Strands turned read in annoyance but still the dominant colour was Orange and he rubbed a hand over his face then squeezed the bathroom sink trying to focus n anything but the _charm_ in the brief interaction he had with Ryan.

He glanced up.

Orange.

“Fuck.” He breathed, and turned away from his tell-tale hair, to have a very cold shower.

 


	4. an old flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jeremy is making friends and getting his life at the hotel together. so of course he gets a visit that shakes him to his core

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you xanzs for my battle buddy art icon! i've been trying to work on this for you, cause you said you wanted to read more Monster hotel! hope you like!

“Are you sure?” Jon asked at the back door of the pub, helping Jeremy put on his coat, though he really didn’t need it. Jeremys revealing hair was covered by his beanie and then the hood of his waterproof jacket, but concerned long fingered hands that never touched his skin.

“It’s just rain Jon, I’ll be fine.” He grinned, amused at how Jon’s eye flickered red when he looked up at the heavens pouring down and gave a little hiss.

“ _Just rain._ ” He repeated like it was a curse then his eyes were blue again looking down at him, “well, what do humans say? Don’t catch a cold?”

“What do Vampires say? Go the fuck back to work.” Jeremy joked and Jon chuckled. They had become friends working together during the day, doing any tiny job Geoff believed he needed a human presence for, from lying to officials to purchasing shit from witches that wouldn’t deal with the undead, too just sussing out workers for renovations to the old building.

Since there wasn’t always work for the day, Geoff only providing one or two jobs a week, Jeremy’s main income came from bartending Off topic, where Jon hung out even when he wasn’t there as a bouncer. No one ever suspected tall, slight, beautiful Jon as the muscle until he had already bodily picked them up and tossed them out.

“that’s a _Jeremy_ saying I think.” Jon pointed out and the human shrugged, heat coming from his hair changing again, “works as well as any. Hurry home, send me a text your there please?”

“Once my phone is charged, sure.” Jeremy said cheekily and ducking into the rain with a laugh at Jon’s helpless splutters. Vampires weren’t burnt by the rain, but such pure water did make them extremely uncomfortable. Something that goes double for a day walker.

Jeremy was still chuckling, hunching his shoulders against the downpour when he heard wet footsteps behind him. He raised his head and turned to look, seeing nothing. His amusement faded and he walked on, listening carefully. After a moment he heard it again, other footsteps beside his own.

He whipped around and saw movement quickly gone and the street was empty again. Most people would run, but not Jeremy Dooley. He was no coward and fear made him angry and anger made him forget why he couldn’t fist fight anyone anymore.

“Oi! If your following me thinking me an easy meal, think the fuck again!” He threatened, full Boston in his voice, scouring the night for a sign of his pursuer. He scoffed thinking it a coward who would be intimidated by someone willing to put up a fight and turned back to walk again.

He almost walked straight into chest and he rapidly backed up two paces, looking up into the rain to squint at face and suddenly his body went cold as if the water had penetrated his soul.

“Hello Lover.” Trevor purred, his white skin edged in a purple fire that ate the water before it touched the demon, his horns curled out of his perfectly mussed hair and his clawed hands tucked into his jean pockets.

“T-t-t-“ Jeremy couldn’t get it out and Trevor laughed, shaking his head.

“As articulated as always Jeremy.” He said happily, and grinned wider, showing his sharklike teeth, “and as fighty. Gonna fight the rain huh bud? A puddle?”

“What are you _doing here_.” Jeremy almost moaned, his mind already going through and discarding multiple escape paths confronted by the man who ruined him, destroyed his sense of the world and revealed the supernatural underbelly. Trevor was unaffected, shrugging and pulling out a hand to inspect dark purple nails filed into points.

“Oh, you know. I was in the area, thought I’d drop by, see if you’ve reconsidered my offer.” He said casually, but the glint in his eyes when he looked into Jeremys face betrayed his interest. Jeremy knew his hair must be a shocking white, and Trevor grinned wider at his expression of fear mixed with panic. That made the tips of his hair go red as he grasped for anger

“N-no!” he said sharply over the pour of the rain and Trevor raised a brow, tilting his head as he grinned.

“No? you haven’t considered? Well Jeremy, I think you should have at least thought it over and-“

“No Trevor! It’s not happening!” Jeremy managed and Trevor sighed, dropping his head and looking at him through long lashes.

“Now Jeremy do you need more time to help figure out how you _feel?_ ” he chuckled and then reached for him, Jeremy backing up and slipping in the wet in his panic to get away. Trevor laughed harder and bent to touch his hand when there was a whoosh of wings. Trevor recoiled snarling as Ryan landed at Jeremys legs, his feet spread over Jeremys legs, his wingspan impressive, extending over the road and into the alley either side of them, the rain sizzling on his bright skin and dark wings.

“Back Beast. This human is no concern of yours!” Ryan’s voice boomed in angelic double timbre, a blue aura raising from the fallen. Trevor’s demonic nature shone in response, purple fire lacing his limbs that spread the black markings of a Demon, his body elongating and his fingers extending to blank claws. Jeremy whimpered and scuttled back a little only to be soothed by Ryan’s presences as the Fallen also expanded, becoming taller and larger, some white markings shining down his arms and over his wings.

“That human is mine! He wears my mark!”

“He has accepted no such thing.”

“well he will! Why don’t you buzz off buzzard!?” Trevor said angrily shoeing him like he was a Pidgeon that was getting to close. Ryan burned with heaven fire and the rain around them wisped and ebbed, Jeremy pushing back his hood and catching his beanie in hand so he could see better the standoff happening over him.

“I will say again. Begone beast.” Ryan boomed firmly and Trevor fixed his gaze on the human hidden behind the fallen.

“Jeremy. I don’t like your new friend. I disapprove Jeremy! Disapprove greatly!” he said with a dramatic twirl of his finger then he snarled at Ryan and dissolved into an angry purple cloud that evaporated into nothing.

Ryan’s aura faded and his whole stature shrunk back to his regular human form, his wings retracting until they could be comfortably folded against his back as he turned, his eyes still a shining blue, but rain now pasting his hair to his forehead as he extended a hand to Jeremy.

“Are you ok?” was his first question, Jeremys hair still white should be enough answer, the human not thinking about how the angel had no context to read it. All he did was numbly take the hand extended to him out of instinct.

Jeremys entire being _rocked,_ the heavenly blaze that resided within the fallen channelled into him by the touch. Angelic feeling was an assault upon his poor human senses, much deeper and more complicated than human feeling. Jeremy hand burst into gold and his head tipped back as it rushed through him.

_Home, home, home, his heart cried for it, cried for the light to bask in, the energy that never stopped flowing, like milk and honey to humans, so the light sustained an angel. Betrayed, betrayed, betrayed screamed his mind, his fall an echo of pain despite the passage of years for a simple question that slipped form his lips. Lonely, lonely, lonely the angel sobbed, lost in a world not of his own, hungry for his light and doomed to an existence resisting the pull of evil on his wings by doing evil that would prevent his rising back to the lofty above._

 Then suddenly, though their skin was still touching, Jeremy could no longer feel Ryan’s emotions at all, the glow from his golden hair ebbing into white then colouring into a deep blue as Jeremy felt shame wash over him that had the aftertaste of grief, the left over from his reading of the Fallen. Ryan’s eyes were wet and not just with rain as he gazed steadily at this tiny human that, for a moment, had fully and completely understood everything he was.

“I think we should talk. You and I.” He rumbled and Jeremy nodded numbly. Despite the words, Ryan didn’t push him into talking as he got him to his feet, nor while they walked home, Ryan’s lifting his wings to create a shelter over their heads. Only once they were back in achievement heights, the run-down hotel looking like a sanctuary to these two outcasts.

For once it was Geoff at the desk, the vampire sitting in a seat with his feet up on Jacks blank book, an old tome in his hands that he peeped over the top of when they squelched in. He raised a brow, especially at the cursed humans uncovered hair and the fallen dropping wings.

"tough night fella’s?” he asked and received a middle finger from each of them as they past. Geoff scoffed and looked back to his tome, “Just a fucking question assholes…” he muttered to himself.

Miles and Kerry walked down the stairs and the duo going up didn’t pause, the cold chill of the poltergeists doing nothing to increase the chill already in them.

“Kerry, I’m telling you, this speakeasy is the best one yet!”

“I dunno miles, aren’t we a little to modern…” they faded from the mortal plain and shook themselves out released from their impulse to continue a long-forgotten conversation so they could look back up at the two sodden men.

“Sometimes I feel like people see through us.” Kerry joked and miles grinned at him and shook his head.

“That jokes getting real old.”

“As old as we are.”

“Oh ha-ha.”

Ryan led Jeremy into his apartment, similar to Jeremy accept it was slightly longer, allowing a mid-area with a couch and a tv between bed and kitchen. Ryan waved at him to the bathroom.

“Strip in there, there’s towels you can help yourself too and you can borrow some clothes.”

“Ryan my apartments right there.”

“I didn’t think you’d want me pawing through your stuff.”

“no, I meant…” Jeremy sighed and let it go, his spirits as down as his hair and it just simply wasn’t worth fighting over, “I’m having a hot shower first.” He warned and went in shutting the door behind him to do just that.

He turned on the shower and tested the water but when he grabbed the bottom of his shirt it hit him. Trevor had found him. Trevor had tracked him down and was _here_ in this city, in this area for _him_ …

His hair bleed a sickly red of panic has his breath started to saw in and out, his heart beating faster and he stumbled back into the wall, trying to press his palms into it, into something _stable_ because his world was shattering. He’d run so far, so hard but it made no difference, he had been found.

He didn’t know when Ryan had appeared, just the fact he was surrounded by wings and a warmth that promised safety as Ryan knelt where Jeremy had slid down the wall. Jeremys eyes locked on the angel and he didn’t care if it would burn him again, he needed to wipe away his own feelings by a single touch.

He reached out and grabbed Ryan’s cheeks and-

Nothing…

He read nothing. The surprise did what the reading would have, cutting through his panic as Ryan put a gentle palm over the back of one of his hands.

“I have control beings do not. You reading emotions may be involuntary, but my broadcasting of them is not.”

“can you cure me?” Jeremy breathed, not daring to hope. Ryan shook his head sadly.

“No. I can’t.” and Jeremy dropped his hands from his face, his heart sinking again.

“Not until I know how this came about.” Ryan clarified and Jeremy’s hope soared from his grasp, unable to stop it.

Only once Jeremy was in dry clothes, wrapped in a blanket and holding a hot chocolate did Ryan allow him to start his story. Any attempt beforehand was met with a “nah-ah, not yet.”

So it was a little sarcastically that Jeremy looked to the fallen and asked, “Is it yet, yet?”

Ryan smiled and nodded, sitting on the floor, his wings spread and slumped on the ground behind him, his own mug in hand and a blanket over his lap. He waved a hand sagely, “Go ahead.”

Jeremy considered his drink at the permission, and feeling the aura of safety being resonated in a low hum from the Fallen he could begin. A soft smile stole across his features and his hair turned the purple passion of new love.

“A few years ago, I met him. Trevor. And he, he was the best friend I always wanted…”

Trevor and Jeremy, in movie romance style, had reached for the same copy of the game at the same time. Then Jeremys hair was its natural brown and the brush of fingertips over the back of his hand had just been that, a brush. Trevor had looked completely human when he smiled and Jeremy had been drawn in without conscious thought.

“I’ll toss you for it?” Trevor had offered and Jeremy had shrugged, trying not to stare at that perfect mouth or the deep brown eyes as he fumbled for his wallet.

“heads or tails?”

“How about both? Both is good, right?” Trevor had chuckled and Jeremy had fallen.

From talking to playing multiplayer together in Jeremys apartment had taken only a day. Perhaps that should have been a warning sign to the human, one who never went this fast with anything, but he was caught up in his infatuation. He didn’t know then as he knows now the charming aura Demons could put out without effort.

Trevor rapidly became a big part of Jeremys life, they would text all day, then talk all night, Trevor dropping by whenever he liked bringing treats of food, posters, toys and games for Jeremy to love. Jeremys friends and family grew worried as the hypnotised man started talking only about Trevor but soon, they started dropping away.

Jeremy didn’t notice it or care, nor wonder at the delighted look on Trevor’s face when he was told Jeremys friends had cancelled dinner out due to, ‘lack of sleep from bad dreams.’

It wasn’t long until Trevor, was his world, his fate sealed with a kiss that stole his will from him and made him Trevor’s completely. He hadn’t minded at the time, he lived for Trevor’s praise, adored the floor he walked on and was eager to move into his bed.

But there came the rub…

“Free wills a bitch, isn’t it?” Ryan said as Jeremy trailed off just as he was explaining how he had been longing for Trevor to bed him. Jeremy blinked, only now realising he had been crying when he sniffled.

“Yeah. Funny thing, isn’t it? He could use all his tricks and charm to isolate me, but he couldn’t use it to bed me.” Jeremy said bitterly, Ryan nodding in understanding. He lifted a finger indicating Jeremy should wait and got up. Jeremy looked back at his half-drunk mug, lost in his past when two marshmallows dropped into it.

He looked up as Ryan passed to sit back down and he gestured at Jeremys mug with his own.

“Marshmallows are the single most best thing you humans ever created. Pure happiness in a cup.”

Jeremy grinned despite himself and sipped then gulped, catching one in his mouth enjoying it before it was gone.

“So, you made the hard choice and said no? not many humans can do that even when the spell is lifted.” Ryan prompted with praise.

“Well, yeah, he took it as well as you’d expect.”

“No?! what do you mean _NO?!_ ” Trevor shifted back from where he had been over Jeremy on the bed, the human puling himself up to the headboard away from the angry man who had moments ago been mouthing and whispering at and in his ear.

“I mean No Trevor! You can’t just whisper “I’m a demon and I want to breed you.” In my fucking ear. Not cool man. I don’t know what you’re into, but that’s not what I want.” He had thought it some role-playing thing that he didn’t want to do, but Trevor’s reaction was scaring him. Trevor had never seemed so angry over something so simple and small.

“Of course, I fucking can! All you have to do is say ‘ _yeah baby’_ and we’re gold, so come on, let’s do this.” Trevor said and started to crawl up Jeremys body again. Jeremy shoved him back with a foot in his stomach.

“Ah no! you can’t lose your cool like that and still think we’re on. Cause we are so not. My buzz is buzzed out.” He said and Trevor scoffed and rolled his eyes prettily, running a hand over his calf then thigh.

“come on jer-bear… you know you want me. We both do. You _pant_ over me. You’ve been begging me for this for weeks!”

Jeremy knew now however that begging was not clear consent which the demon had needed to hear to affect his mark upon him.

“So? I don’t want you _now_ since your being a jerk!” Jeremy said hotly, “I’m trying to tell you that role play is not my thing and you flip the fuck-“

Trevor threw his head back and laughed cruelly, bringing it back with slow shakes of his chin.

“Oh Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremy… You thought I was role playing? Oh no, no my sweet lover… It’s absolute truth and I’m going to need you to say that little Y-E-S for the S-E-X.” Trevor said in a sing song for his spelling. Jeremy frowned getting really annoyed now.

“Funny joke dude.” He said sarcastically getting pissed at his boyfriend’s attitude, “how about you try fucking treading in my shoes for a bit huh? I do fucking everything for you, and now you’re gonna be a fucking dick in bed? No Trevor that’s not gonna fly.”

Trevor had struck like a snake, his fingers closing around Jeremys throat, cutting of his air in an instant, brown doe eyes rapidly changing to pure black before Jeremys face, making the man switch to angry to scared so fast the bed might be wet now. Trevor smiled with teeth gone jagged and horns curled forth from his hair, overshadowing his face.

“Let me tell you what’s going to fly hmm? You my sweet little human are going to give me my yes. I’m going to put my mark, right here, right on your shoulder here, little tappetiy tap, and then you’ll be mine forever.” Trevor said calm and still with his human voice despite the melting of human form, “you’ll bear my young, and raise them and teach them of the human world so we can be one big happy corrupting family, doesn’t that sound nice?”

He let go and Jeremy sucked in breath and fell on his side on the bed, shuddering at the elongated hand that brushed over his spine and the purrs Trevor was giving.

“Your just such an interesting human Jeremy. I think we’ll do well together. And really, where else do you have to go? No one else wants you but me. No one else needs you but me. No one else accepts you but me. Without me Jeremy, your nothing but a loser in a bachelor pad. All that inheritance you got? That was cause of me! Or do you really think your paps died of” and Trevor deepened his voice to the tone of the slow and stupid, “Natural causes?”

Jeremy started to move away as Trevor was monologing, “that was me again! You owe everything to me! I got you money, I give you food, and love and attention! I buy you everything your mortal little heart desires. All I ask in return is you give me this one thing. This one tiny thing. Just say yes, and you can go back to your blissful existence of being mine!”

Trevor grabbed the back of his shirt and hauled him back to the middle of the bed, his demonic markings banding out now as he looked down at the cringing human with desire and confidence.

“I promise, it won’t even hurt. And you’ll love our kids Jeremy, they mature so quickly! You won’t even have had time to miss the ones that don’t make it to adolescence before your bearing our next batch!” Jeremy felt sick, and trapped and scared. And he wished with all his being that Trevor could know how he felt.

The demon was grinning down at him when his eyes flicked up and then widened.

“the hell? What is up with your hair?” he asked then hissed, drawing away from him, “you didn’t tell me you had changeling blood!”

Jeremy had no idea what that meant but Trevor was away from him and he did the only thing he could think to do, which was bolt for it. He made it off the bed and into the living room, front door in sight when he was brought down, Trevor’s weight settling over him and easily flipping him onto his back, his wrists in iron grip as Trevor leered over him, his nose near Jeremys.

“Please Trevor, please-“

“Oh yeah baby, beg for me, I love it.” Trevor giggled and snapped his teeth coyly making Jeremy flinch and yell out with fear, “before you beg though, I need that yes. It’s ok, I forgive you for not telling me your bloodline. Judging from your reaction I bet you didn’t know about it. Those fae, give it up to anyone and their descendants rarely tap the power. But you did and trust me, this makes you all the better choice.”

“No! NO TREVOR!” Jeremy yelled desperately, “You’re hurting me and your scaring me and I don’t want whatever the fuck your trying to sell me!”

Trevor’s face turned hideous as he bared his teeth, “You want to tell me what you’re feeling huh? Put on the little colour show? How about I make what _I’m feeling_ really sink in? Hmm?”

Jeremy screamed as Trevor’s power coursed over him, ripping him up from the inside, pulling it out and slapping him in the face with it, or so it felt. His bones boiled and his lungs popped and his muscles all twisted in the grip of demonic power, then-

_Desire! Oh such sweet, sweet flesh, all for the taking, such giving soft human flesh! Need! Need to procreate! To live forever, past the inevitable battle that could take his life, to build a dynasty to carry on! Love! Twisted sick love, a parody but pure, care for this small stupid human, so simple, so amusing._

Jeremy had no choice, a single touch and emotions were laid bare whether he wanted to know them or not, his hair reflecting the demonic force, an almost black purple that burnt his head.

Ryan lay a hand on Jeremys wrist stilling his shakes and returning Jeremy to the present. Jeremy looked at him, saw the sympathy shining there and looked away to wipe his face, his moustache tasting of salt tears now when he licked his lips dry once more.

“so, ah, yeah. He let me go. Said if I had time to consider, then I’d make the right choice. I’ve been running ever since with my dumb disco hair and my curse to know everyone’s feeling at the slightest touch.”

Ryan’s hand shifted to cup his chin, and make the human look to him.

“Jeremy? I think you ran to the right place.” He said softly, the silver of hope the dominant in Jeremys hair as he looked at Ryan’s sincere face and Believed.


	5. the true nature of things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan needs help, information  
> Jeremy is too scared to go out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM NOT DEAD  
> Just depressed  
> WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
> but look i did a thing!  
> enjoy the thing!

Only once Jeremy was asleep on Ryan's couch did he seek out Geoff. Ryan knew where the vampire would be at this time of night, and descended to the lobby than into Geoff’s office and the hidden staircase within. Down he went, his wings feeling heavier with every step, a being of light and air was uncomfortable under this dank earth and in the dim.

The staircase spiralled down, openings appearing and disappearing as Ryan plodded on, the fallen knowing the secret to the stairs. As he walked he trailed a hand on the walls as they slowly gave way from man made, to carved stone, children carved into the limestone, holding hands, faces joyous as they followed one another into the pits below. All the while, thinking how much he needed to consult with Geoff. The library was empty of anything with independent thought and he walked on

He had expected to find Geoff within his library, the massive collection cared for by the undead Geoff had created during his time on the earth, but Ryan felt it shiver through his wings as he passed into timelessness. Only an immortal, and a powerful one at that, could pass this barrier. As it was, Ryan felt his wings start to droop, dragging now on the stone stairs, feathers dripping from him like water.

He found Geoff at the cavern at the very bottom of the stairs. Ryan had walked for seven months to get here, and yet also only an hour. His head was starting to pound and he stumbled into the cavern lit with a warm light that would burn the air from mortal lungs.

Geoff sat upon a stone, lazily draped, one leg folded under his thigh the other dangling, the lava stream below him causing no ill effects unless he were to fall in. Ryan willed his wings to life, beating them and ascending to join Geoff on the edge, a good distance above the lava. Geoff turned from his contemplation to look at Ryan with curiosity.

“What brings you down to the Jack cave?” Geoff asked of the fallen, noting how ragged he looked to be here so far from his natural elements. Jack himself was in the centre of this cavern, but not in a form any would recognise. Ryan did however, the soul of ancient beings had been shaped before his adolescent eyes eons ago before being sent to take root in the earth.

A tree, as large as any skyscraper filled the space, massive and its trunk was a ginger red, glowing from within. A tree shape but more accurately, crystal, luminous ent and its branches extended to blanket the top of the cavern, shedding green and white lights down to mingle with the glow of the lava. Jack was truly spectacular to see, a pure being, one of the first earth elementals to exist.

“The human, Jeremy.” Ryan answered, Jacks crystalline body emitting a curious pulse that ryan answered, “I found out the root of his curse. And it's not his hair, but his empathic powers. Any touch and he knows everything about anyone.”

Geoff whistled, swinging his leg and grinning, his fangs protruding over his lips as he looked to his best friend, “Hear that Jacko? Don’t let him touch ya, the kid would be dead as dicks.”

  
Jack’s colours swirled, and a higher whine emitted.

“Of course I’m not going to touch him! It might not kill him, but sure as shit drive him mad.” Geoff scolded the elemental than looked back to Ryan, “Wait, if his curse is empathy, than why the rainbow hair?”

“He says the demon told him he activated Fae blood. That a changeling mingled in his bloodline.”

“Nah, Changling are temperamental. They rarely survive until adulthood.” Geoff scoffed then glared when Ryan grabbed his shoulder, not letting him just brush this off.

“We need access to your library Geoff.” Ryan asked seriously and the Vampire snarled.

“I knew it! I knew letting a cursed human in would cause trouble!” the vampire rocked into the air, floating above Ryan now, out of reach, “You know my rules about humans and my books Ryan.”

“But he’s part fae-”

“He can be part fucking chinchilla for all I care. No mortal goes into my library!” Geoff growled, bursting into flight, zooming back towards the stairs and leaving Ryan there to pant, steeling himself for the climb. Behind him,Jack glowed blue, a soft chime sounding around the fallen that made him look back at the elemental.

Jacks human form was appearing, female this time, walking out from the trunk, her feet where they touched the lava, solidified it into a walkway, a slow steady march towards solid land. Ryan sighed and with the last of his energy, beat his wings again, more a glide than a flight, down to land on the lava edge just as Jack met it.

“He carries guilt Ryan, you know that.” Jack said softly, her eyes as crystal clear as her true self before settling back into human dullness. She pulled her glasses from her pocket and slid them on as Ryan stumbled, trying to stay in step with her.

“The work would go much faster if he allows the human access as well as myself.” Ryan pointed out, panting. At the bottom of the stairs, Jack turned, putting hands on Ryan's shoulders, cupping the back of his neck slightly.

“Why must you help at all Raamiel?” Jack questioned softly, looking into the angel's eyes, seeing him shudder to be so called. Ryan lifted his hands to grab jack's, meaning to pull her touch away from him, her fingers in the soft down at the back of his neck which made him uncomfortable.

“I am trapped Jack, you know this. With every soul I forcibly take, I am anew in my banishment from the heavens. But if I do not, than my wings grow heavy before i too shall succumb to evil completely and finish my fall into hell.” Ryan averted his eyes, “I am not worthy of my name old one. Ryan is who I am, and Ryan I will stay…” he looked up, “Unless i can commit a purely selfless deed.”

Jack nodded in sad understanding, “You sure are trapped. Because you know as well as I, by doing a selfless deed for this human in the hopes of ascending once more, you make it selfish.”

“I know.” moaned Ryan, “But what else can I do but try?”

Jack took pity on the Fallen and drew him down, their lips touching and behind them, Jack's self burst into glorious song, the light a pure white that was multiple colors mixing together. Jack fed part of her massive and old soul into the angel, bringing life into his body once more. Ryans wings lifted, his feathers sprouted, his markings glowed and for a moment, his wings were a perfect snow white.

Than Jack drew back and they became grey once more, though still healthy, drooping with the pressure of where they were. Ryan’s eyes were clear and he smiled at jack who smiled back. That piece of her soul willingly given and so more pure than Ryan could take.

“Let’s go up and see if we can find bat boy sulking somewhere hmm?” Jack suggested, ryan laughing softly as they set foot upon the stairs to go back up to the mortal world.

  
Ryan, geoff and jack had been gone for three days. On the first day, Jeremy awakened a silvery hopeful, for if anyone was going to help him it would be a Fallen. His hair quickly dulled when he found the apartment emptied and by the time he jammed his beanie on, his hair was a dirty grey.

The second day, michael slammed a fist on Jeremy's door, “Hey! You missed worked last night! Jeremy! Get your ass out here!” Jeremy sat inside ignoring it. Michael couldn’t come in, he had no invite and this was not his hotel. He had no power but to rant and rave in front of the door, his approaching bedtime making him double irritable. Jeremy was not leaving for anyone or anything.

The third day, a soft knock at his door and a nicer voice, “Lil’J? I got waffles? I hear that's a tasty human treat… Right?” Jeremy ignored Jon, wrapped up in his blankets, hiding from the world, since his ex was in it.

Outside Jon sighed and knocked again, “I bet you smell in there.” he warned, “I can hear your heart too. So open up. Come on, don’t make me open this door.”

Jeremy snorted inside soft enough a human wouldn’t have heard and Jon rolled his eyes, “I have the invite you know.” he reminded the human and was rewarded with a sharp intake of breath, making the daywalker grin, his fangs pricking over his lips, “Oh yeah, remember last week?”

Part of his gifts was mimicry, a near perfect replication of Jeremy's own voice coming from his lips, “ ‘Do you play xbox? We should totally play together sometime!’ ”

“That wasn’t an invitation!” Jeremy yelled through the door and jon laughed in success.

“Wasn’t it? I interpret it that way since I don’t have an xbox, we’d need to play here. Soooo.” He juggled the waffles and fished out his master key opening the door. As the door swung open, Jeremy leapt up with a glare at the vampire, “Shall I test that invite?”

Jeremy’s hair went a pure dark red as the blankets fell from his thick shoulder and he stormed towards his front door. Jon actually took a step back so menacing the aura Jeremy was giving off when he grabbed his door and slammed it in his face.

“That’s a no?” Jon asked innocently of the door, tilting his head when it was ripped open again by a furious short human focused solely on the daywalker.

“Listen here you Undead FUCK. I don’t want your goddamn waffles, I don’t want your goddamn company and I don’t want your GODDAMN FACE in mine! Got it?!” Jeremy jabbed a finger with each damn then slammed the door before Jon could say a word.

Jon bit a perfect lip, rolling it between his teeth as he considered the heavy breathing he was hearing behind the door. Obviously something had spooked the human because through the red were shards of white and the heart beat now in a staccato rhythm Jon knew well.

The daywalker checked the hall, knowing their were half a dozen supernatural beings listening in now, but not all had hearing better than a human's. Jon knocked again, softer this time, stepping close and laying his forehead against the door. Perhaps only a secret could earn a secret.

  
“Jeremy please, I can tell you're scared. I can hear it. I can taste it in the air. Let me in, I might be able to help you.” Jon begged low, putting as much of his hypnotic charisma into the plead as he could. After a long moment, the door opened a crack and Jeremy revealed a sliver of himself, his hair deflated from its red into a heartbreaking blue.

“You can’t help me… no one can.” He said hopeless, not even looking at Jon. Jon knew if his heart had been beating it would have shattered right than at the tear that slid down Jeremy's face to be angrily brushed away.

“Let me try…” Jon pleaded, everything in him wanted to help this small fun human who had erupted into his life only a few short weeks ago and turned his stagnant world to ripples, “Please.” this time nothing of the vampires various magics in his voice. Just a true plea.

Jeremy opened the door wider in defeat, “Come on in. Not like I ever have a chance against the supernatural anyways…”

“Jeremy, wha-”

“You all have so many different powers, and here I am, a fucking weak ass human. I’d lose a fist fight with even a freshly turned vamp. Plus you know, I gotta show everyone just what i'm feeling all the fucking time,” a bitter stab towards his head, “And oh yeah, god forbid I touch anyone or i'm gonna get a direct download of every fucking thing they feel.”

Jon listened to Jeremy rant, storing away the information he was hearing as the Human flopped onto his bed, wiggling and muttering still as he curled back up under his blankets. The apartment was a mess, microwave meals never cleaned away, junk thrown out of drawers to litter the floor, and jeremy himself was wearing what looked to be Ryans clothes. Tight around the shoulders, long in the pants.

“Trevor's right, I should stop fighting it. I mean he’ll win in the end anyway right? I’m only fucking human. Look how easy you got in right? Cause I made one stupid mistake and now here you are, standing in my space, gonna suck all my blood out…” He sounded almost hopeful, shifting his head to look at Jon who had put the waffles down and was now pottering about, tidying as he went, “You are gonna suck my blood out right?”

Jon tisked as he replaced the bin liner and started picking up rubbish, “No, I’m not going to suck all your blood out. I am going to eat this Trevor of yours though.”

Jeremy gave a dead laugh, more chilling to the daywalker than most monsters growls. Jon hadn’t changed much in the past three hundred years since his making, but time with Jeremy had set a heat in his body he hadn’t felt in some time. He was motivated again, struck anew with the passion of life by watching this human everyday live his own life.

“Good fucking luck. Don’t think Demon blood would be great for you.”

Jon hid the panic that shivered down his spine at Jeremy’s words, “A demon? Your ex is a demon?”

“Yep. Sure is. Asshole wants to breed me. Keep me full of gross demon eggs too I dunno, crap out or burst out of me alien style. I didn’t ask for details, I just fucking ran. Ended up running here and then Ryan-”

“Ryan?!” Jon straightened and turned supernaturally fast, to Jeremy it seemed he had teleported. His eyes changed colour and his fangs seemed more pronounced, “What’s that air headed peacock got to do with this?”

“He promised me help.” Jeremy was unaffected by the daywalkers angry response, pulling a pillow over his eyes, leaving his mouth uncovered, “Than he fucking vanished and didn’t leave me a word. Should know better than to trust a freak right?”

Jon deflated at the word freak, closing his lips over the prick of his fangs. He turned his head away and forced his words to be bright, “Well, If he won’t help, then this freak will have too! First step, waffles!” Jeremy lifted the pillow to look, jon zipping in speed now to tidy, throwing a fresh outfit onto Jeremy's bed, “Than a change of clothes, maybe a shower cause i bet anyone could smell you as you are.”

  
“Smells bad huh?” Jeremy asked still unmotivated, his hair turning from the dark blue of depression to the lighter blue of sympathy when jon gave a self deprecating chuckle.

“I wouldn't know."

"yeah you would, you said you could smell me."

"I  _implied_ I could smell you. I can’t actually smell a thing. At all. My nose doesn’t work like that. Even my little upgrade a few centuries ago didn’t fix it. So you see, I’m a freak of a vampire in more than one way.”

Finally Jeremy unfroze, his hopeless attitude melting as he sat up and gave Jon those large puppy dog eyes that he couldn’t stop looking at.

“Your a freak of the supernatural world. I’m a freak of the natural one. What are the chances?” Jeremy asked softly then got up, moving to eat, “What’s your plan after clothes?”

Jon smiled, feeling success flush away the sour of his shame, “Well, after your clothed, than you and I are going to raid my Masters office. He'll have some books in there from his library. We can get started on finding what kind of demon this trevor is and than we can banish him.”

Jeremy's hair started to brighten to silver, “Banish?”

Jon nodded, his fangs glinting slightly over his lips, “Banish.” he repeated happily.


	6. Ex's and Bookshops

Geoff had been no where they could find and so Jack and Ryan crested the steps and into Geoff's office. First thing Jack did was check the time and winced looking to Ryan, “I’m so sorry, the days are nothing to me I didn’t-”   
  
Icy chill in the Fallens heart as he put up a hand, “How long?”

“A week…”

“A week?! Damn it Jack!” Ryan ran from the room, pulling his wings onto a different plane so none could see them as he blew through the lobby and up the stairs onto his floor. He skidded to a halt in front of Jeremys door and slammed a fist against it rapidly.

“Jeremy!” He called in concern, terrified he’d left the human alone defenseless. When Jack went down to recharge, they caused the time distortion effect. Though Ryan had to thank them for the burst of health he was currently enjoying, he had to mentally curse the time he’d been away unwittingly.

“JEREMY!” he yelled louder, banging the door again. Surely the human would know better to leave the Hotel without him? Without the masking Aura of the creatures within this building, the stink of Jeremys curse could be felt blocks away from him.

Ryan raised a hand, ready to knock down the door, sucking breath in for a louder shout when the door beside Jeremys opened, a waft of smoke and incense billowing out. Gavin's face was drawn and red chapped, his bright green eyes dull and sunken as he fixed them on ryan.

“He’s out.” Gavin rasped, “Some of us need our beautyrest.”

Ryan moved fast, grabbing the door preventing Gavin from closing it, ripping it fully open much to Gavins distress, the man squawking and pawing weakly for it. When he couldn’t shut the door, he shrunk against the doorframe, pawing at his own face, his skin dry, chapped and flaking.

“Ryan please! I can’t be seen like this!” Gavin begged, a piece of flaked dry skin peeling and crumbling into dust, revealing a golden glow underneath softly throbbing.

“Don’t care. Where’s Jeremy?” Ryan said mercilessly, the beep of machines coming from inside the dark apartment, the whir of artificial air moving in a tight space happening rhythmically.

“Out with bloody Jon isn’t he? Now come on, please, your letting dry air in!” Gavin hoarsley pleaded, reaching for the door again which Ryan only pushed wider.

“Where are they?” He asked this time, Gavin whining softly in response. A slightly brown hand fell on Gavins shoulder and Ray pulled his roommate back as he stepped forward.

“Gav, go rub some moisturizer in before you turn to jerky. Speaking of Jerks, maybe you shouldn’t have taken off if you want your precious human back.” Ray pointed out scatheningly, his arms crossing. Deep in the apartment, the beeping grew more rapid.

Ryan sighed, he could never argue much with Ray, the guilt was too strong, “I didn’t mean to be gone so long-”

“You don’t mean alot of things Rye-bread, but they still happen. Now make like a tree, and fuck off.” Ray grabbed the door and Ryan let it go, the wood slamming in front of his face. He breathed out heavily than shook off the sour mood. 

There was nothing he could do for Ray, and everything he could do for Jeremy. As long as he didn’t fuck it up, there was hope for the cursed lad. He wouldn’t make the same mistakes. Jeremy would not end up like Ray.

\---

Jeremy was running out of hope and patience in equal measure. Jon however was annoyingly optimistic, being an eternal being, his patience was unlimited and unshakable. And he seemed to know an unlimited number of occult shops.

“Ooo. This ones promising.” Jon tapped the window of a Rather normal looking shop with tarot cards in the window. “I can’t get in so they know about the supernatural world alright.”

“But, shops are an open invitation?” Jeremy was confused, Jon had no problem getting in anywhere else. Jon chuckled and gestured at the display as he spoke.

“Normally yeah, but this is a legit Occult store. They’ve warded the place against Vampires. I’ve never been able to get in…” Jon raised a brow and chuckled, “But ah, I notice you got a heartbeat…”

Jeremy felt stupid and glared at Jon, “this has been your plan all along hasn’t it? To get me in there? What do you want from there?” Jon didn’t even bother to deny it, shrugging his shoulders, everything he did sensual, the bastard.

“I want to know who owns the place. Who works in there. Who is set up in Our city against vampires?” Jon mused allowed and seeing Jeremy was angry, he put hands on Jeremy's shoulders, “Please? Your human, you can just stroll in, take a few photos and snag some books on demonology. My shout of course.”

Jeremy just couldn’t resist when Jon was so… human. Big blue eyes begging him and he melted. A sigh and he grabbed Jons jacket, pulling it out so he could get into the pocket and take his wallet. He waved it in front of the daywalker who beamed brightly, “Your shout alright. I’m using your card.”

“Thanks Jeremy.” Jon waved him inside, Jeremy walking in with no problems just a soft tinkle of a bell. The interior looked like a musty book store more than an occult shop, the only items being the ones on display in the window and a table set in the front. A large man was behind the counter, his black hair up in a high tail and glasses on his nose above a full black beard.

“Can I help you?” He asked, looking at Jeremy who self consciously tugged on his beanie, checking his hair was completely covered. The Guy looked bored and Jeremy smiled at him feeling like an imposter, his hair a guilty green under his beanie.

“Ah, yeah, I’m a… Looking for anything on demonology?” he glanced above the door and did a double take, seeing a carved symbol hanging from a red velvet string. The man saw his eye be drawn to it and laughed, completely changing his face. Suddenly he was Friendly and open looking, and not too bad on the eyes making Jeremy's hair turn a bright pink.

“I see you’ve spotted my grandfather's good luck charm.” the man behind the counter stood and came around it, hand out. Jeremy took it and had his hand shook in a strong grip, “I’m Josh Mckinley the second and that, is supposed to repel evil beings.”

Jon was the last thing Jeremy would class as evil, but his eyes widened as he considered the possibilities, “Jeremy Dooley, and would it repel Demons?”

Josh raised a brow and scratched his head looking up at it than back to his customer, “Well, I dunno about that. It’s just an old story passed down. I just put it up there as a good luck charm you know. I don’t actually believe any of this stuff.”

Jeremy nodded, laughing awkwardly, very aware on how real this ‘stuff’ was. But Josh was looking at him consideringly now and he needed to look like a normal human being so he laughed it off. “Yeah, me neither but, the theory is fun.”

Josh seemed to buy that, rolling his eyes and staring into the shelves, “Well let’s get you something to base these theories on huh? So are you a student?”

Jeremy scoffed as he followed Josh in, “Chaa, you could say that.” Since Trevor had inserted himself into his life, Jeremy had learnt a lot of things. Demons and angels, vampires and werewolves. Everything was real. Even his own blood was tainted with the supernatural, some long ago ancestor swapped out for a changeling Fae that had leaked down the ages into Jeremy's hair of all things.

Josh gave him a curious look and showed him a section of old books, “Demons. Most of them. It's hard to find any order to my grandfather's books.”

“These are all your grandfather's?” Jeremy asked in wonder, amazed by how much one person could accumulate.

“Yeah, my grandfather, Josh Mckinley the first, he was a… well he believed all this stuff and collected as much as he could. Said  _ his  _ grandfather used to hunt werewolves and he’d seen it with his own eyes.” Josh chuckled and sighed, “Poor old Pops. He was obsessed with the family history. Well, now he’s… older, and my dad wants nothing to do with him. I gotta pay the bills somehow so I thought, why not sell this crap? It was a good basis for a store and I only needed to order a few extra stuff to swell my stock.”

“True…” Jeremy felt sorry for Josh’s grandfather. He had no doubt the man had seen the real deal. Spent a life laughed at and ridiculed for it. Jeremy hoped Josh senior knew that his charm protected his grandson, even if that grandson looked down on the supernatural with condescension.

He had been running his eyes over the books and Josh saw he was losing Jeremy's attention, backing away to let his customer be. Jeremy’s eyes caught on an older tome, dark leather stained a purplish black. He run his fingers down the spine and pulled it free, its thick pages opening to symbols Jeremy couldn’t read but recognised. 

Trevors skin crawled with these in moments of high stress or power. Jeremy's stomach turned but he made himself turn the pages, searching for anything he could actually read. He didn’t find any english but he did find diagrams. Monstrous beings with large teeth and hateful hunger. He found demonic twistings of human forms, of screaming faces.

He found a human, swollen and inside her belly illustrations of eggs filled with demon spawn. He dreaded the next page but he turned and bile filled his mouth. The human was bent over, spawn ripping their way through her throat, tiny demons with human faces that fell upon screaming crowds. This is what Trevor wanted for him?

Jeremy slammed the book shut; “Never.” 

“Halfbreed problems man?” Jeremy jerked back from an old man, back bent by time, a cane he leant heavily on. He looked like a much aged version of his grandson, no doubt the McKinley Senior, “Well? Don’t be shy. Tell me about them!”

“I-ah um-”

“Don’t be coy man, we can’t hunt the beast if you don’t tell the hunter what he’s hunting hmm?” The old man looked at him with sympathy in his eyes even if the tone was stern, “Us McKinleys have always had a knack for sensing the supernatural. Even if my idiot son has turned his Boy against it, we all have it.”

“You know?” Jeremy said hushed, hopeful that someone, a real human, could have an answer for him, “You sense my curse?”

“It’s a whopper. I came out here expecting a Halfbreed, but instead I got a man in distress here.” the old man put both hands on the top of his cane, “So boy? The Halfbreed?”

“It’s…” Jeremy searched for a way to describe Trevor, settling on opening the book to the demonic figure and pointing, “That.”

Josh senior took the book from him, squinting at the illustrations then pouring over the text mumbling to himself. Jeremy looked between the Hunter and the book hopefully, trying to be patient. He couldn’t help himself however after a few minutes past of the old man staring at the same text he cleared his throat.

“Hmm?” Josh senior looked up and frowned, “Oh, my apologies. It’s been so long since I’ve read fallen script.”

“Fallen? You mean this is… this is in  _ angel?” _ Jeremy was gobsmacked, taking the book and holding it up for emphasis. Then fingers snatched it from his grip, Josh Junior at his shoulder and not happy.

“I’d appreciate if you leave.” Josh told him than shouldered by, holding the book as his voice softened “Pops, what are you doing downstairs?”

“Helping a cursed human! Something you’re supposed to do if you’d just accept the McKinley name!” Josh omphed as his grandfather poked him in the stomach with his cane. Jeremy felt bad for the old man and took a step forward, tapping Josh junior on the shoulder.

“Excuse me-” he had to move back quick to avoid a skin to skin touch as Josh irritatingly swiped at him to get him away, “Whoa, hey!”

“Look, I’m sorry my grandfather dragged you into this. But I need you to leave. When he’s like this he’s… he’s hard to handle.” Josh sounded apologetic but frustrated. Like he blamed Jeremy knowing it wasn’t really his fault and so just wanted him gone.

“Can I buy that book at least?” Jeremy begged but Josh was already turning away, “Please! It’s important!” Josh looked back at him, true anger starting to build now making Jeremy step back lest he swing at him and make skin contact.

“Nothing is more important to me than my grandfather. Come back another day.” Josh said firmly and Jeremy ducked to avoid the finger he pointed towards the door. His grandfather put a hand on Josh junior’s arm, saddened by his Grandsons refusal to help but touched by his love for him.

Jeremy wasn’t going to get between family like that. He wished he still had one. He nodded and backed away, heading for the door. He couldn’t believe he came so close to answers and it was snatched from him.  _ Again… _

“Well? How’d you go?” Jon asked the moment he stepped outside. Jeremy brushed by him, sourly adjusting his beanie. Jon sighed and caught up with him, “That bad huh?”

“That good actually.” Jeremy said hopelessly. He stopped in his tracks when Jon linked their elbows. A warmth started in his chest as he looked from their joined elbows to Jon’s soft smile. His heart embarrassingly skipped and he was sure Jon could hear it.

“If it’s good, why the long face?” Jon prompted, tugging a little on his arm to get them moving. People did a double take as they past and Jeremy hung his head lower. Jon just stared at the starters and tapped jeremy's chin with his free hand, “Hey, you're with me. No one’s going to hurt us- YOU, with me here. Now. Tell me about the shop.”

Jeremy lifted his head, a little at least, cheered by Jons boundless optimism, “Well it’s owned by this dude who doesn’t believe in anything he’s selling. He’s got this charm up by the door, and told me it repels… well it’s why you can’t get in. Anyways, that’s not important. The important part is alot of his stuff, including the charm, was his grandfathers and Jon, I’m pretty sure he’s the real deal and you should see the books he’s got Jon. Like rows and rows of it. Geoff would get a blood nose looking at them.”

Jon chuckled indulgently and Jeremy's hair heated, changing colour again as he watched, “Well, my Masters Kinks aside; if it was all that and a box of kittens, why are we walking away?”

They turned a corner as Jeremy heaved a heavy breath out, “Well, I found a book-”

“A book!”

“Shut it and let me finish.” Jeremy sniggered as Jon locked his lips and looked down at him patiently, “It was old, leather and parchment deal. It had all these freaky illustrations in it that kinda looked like the shit… My ex gets… anyways, old man McKinley said that-”

Jeremy jerked to a halt, Jon’s elbow frozen, locking him against the vampires side. Jon’s eyes were wide and red, his fangs pronounced and over his lips as he stared at nothing. Jeremy tried to tug his arm free but it wouldn't give and he felt the familiar powerlessness of a human trying to fight the supernatural.

“McKinley you say?” Jon asked in a rapid hush, “ _ Mckinley?!” _

“Yeah, yeah McKinley” Jeremy agreed quickly, people stopping to look now because Jeremy was pulling his arm, trying to get free, “Jon, your hurting me.”

Jon paid him and the bystanders no heed, his mind years in the past, “McKinley. It couldn’t be… He wouldn’t just be an old man he’d be-”

“JON! Your hurting me!” Jeremy repeated, Jons vice getting tighter as his stress grew. Jeremy's pain sunk in and Jon immediately let him go, turning on his heel, hands up as if to stop Jeremy from hurting him. A laughable prospect.

“Oh Jeremy I’m so sorry! You just, you startled me and I didn’t- are you alright?” Jon asked anxiously and to his horror Jeremy drew back from his hand, hurt of a different kind on his face.

“Yeah. Just peachy.” Jeremy snarled sarcastically, now free he was angry, “I think when I get that banishing book tomorrow, I’ll pick up a charm to hang above my own door.”

Jon’s undead heart broke as Jeremy sidled by him, careful not to touch him before he stormed off. Jon followed, hissing at anyone who stared to long at them but face contrite whenever he looked to jeremy, “Jeremy please! Wait. let me explain! Jeremy! You still got my CARD!”

Trevor chuckled from his spot watching his Mate from above. That stupid vampire couldn’t keep him from his Mate, and Jeremy would soon realise that no one could replace Trevor for him. Alfredo pushed his shoulder as he leant over, leering at the human who was just rounding the next corner. Trevor frowned with irritation at the necessity of backup.

“That’s him? Kinda a pretty boy isn’t he?” Alfredo asked scathingly, hissing when Trevor shoved him back, his green banding glowing and tail whipping behind him. Trevor rolled his eyes at the juvenile display, shaking his head as he turned back to watching Jeremy back now, the human still shrugging off the vampires pleas. That brought the half grin back.

“Not the long haired idiot in the suit. The beautiful Broad shouldered Hunk in the beanie.” Trevor loved him from afar, until the time was right and Jeremy understood where he belonged, “He shall be mine again.”

Alfredo scoffed nervously, looking from his elders face to the retreating human, “You sure? Cause he seems pretty set on Banishing your ass and-” Alfredo skittered back, hands up as Trevor turned with a roar. Alfredo knew Trevor could tear him apart and so Trevor was the boss.

“Get  _ your  _ useless ass to that shop! I want it destroyed and everyone who lives within! My mate is just going through a confused stage is all…” Trevor reasoned, trying to convince himself as he looked back to Jeremy, his fury building as the human stopped and let the Vampire talk. Jeremy wouldn’t let Trevor talk. Wouldn’t let Trevor explain.

No, Jeremy had to go to Angels and scum for his answers, like Trevor wouldn’t explain anything and everything Jeremy would want to know. Jeremy had to go to bookstores, and enlist help from an ancient line of hunters! Trevor’s fist curled as his banding twisted around his flesh and his horns and tail appeared, swishing with agitation.

He narrowed his eyes, Jeremy filling his vision, “You’ll not banish me my love. Never.” He promised the Human, “Never…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this has been sitting in my drafts, unfinished for literaly almost a year. but i finished it! Yay! Hope you enjoy this and hopefully won't take another year for another chapter? maybe? possibly?.... im trying guys i promise


End file.
